Family Historian
Windows genealogy software written by Calico Pie Limited in London
Key data
| Company | Calico Pie Limited |
|---|---|
| Category | Genealogy Software |
| Headquarters | London, United Kingdom |
| Founded | Not stated |
| EU Presence | Yes - United Kingdom (UK, European non-EU) |
| Data Location | Local files on your Windows PC |
| Open Source | No |
| GDPR Compliant | Yes |
| Self-Hosting | Desktop software with local files |
| Main Features | Smart Folders (version 8), tree and chart views, plugin store, user group and support resources, free services for users, upgrade discounts |
| Pricing | EUR 6.74 per month, EUR 32.80 per year, or EUR 71.33 outright (perpetual licence for version 8). Education from EUR 16.41 per year per user, business from EUR 32.80 per year per user (inc. VAT). |
| Best For | UK-minded Windows users who want a program with a plugin ecosystem and a perpetual licence |
| Replaces | Ancestry (family tree editing), Legacy, RootsMagic |
Full review
Family Historian is designed and written by Calico Pie Limited. The About page says Calico Pie is a UK software house founded by Simon Orde in 1995, based in London. The contact address is 7 Effingham Road, Lee, London SE12 8NZ.
Version 8 adds Smart Folders, which the vendor describes as a genealogy world first. Family Historian is Windows software that keeps its data on your computer.
What does Family Historian cost?
The store shows three ways to buy Family Historian 8: EUR 6.74 per month, EUR 32.80 per year, or a perpetual licence for EUR 71.33 where major releases are bought separately. Upgrades from version 7 get a 25 per cent discount.
Education licences start at EUR 16.41 per year per user for five users or more, and business licences at EUR 32.80 per year per user, inc. VAT.
Which platforms does Family Historian support?
Family Historian 8 is Windows-only software. Mac users need compatibility software such as Parallels, Boot Camp or CrossOver.
A 30-day free trial is offered. Users also get a plugin store, a user group and free services listed on the support pages.
Where is Family Historian weaker than Ancestry?
Family Historian has no record collection and no DNA test. It is a program for managing a tree on your own computer.
The pages we read do not describe a cloud tree or mobile app. Sharing relies on exports and the user group.
Points against
Family Historian is Windows-only, has no hosted tree, record collection or DNA matching in the pages we read, and the UK sits outside the EU, so UK law applies. For a Mac option see MacFamilyTree.
Best suited to users of Family Historian
Windows users who prefer to buy once and keep their tree locally, and who value plugins and a user community.
Strengths and weaknesses
Pros
- 30-day free trial
- Perpetual licence available
- Public prices in euros on the store page
- Plugin store and user group
- Named UK company with address
Cons
- Windows only
- Major releases bought separately with perpetual licence
- No hosted tree or DNA
- UK entity is outside the EU
Pros and Cons
Pros
- 30-day free trial
- Perpetual licence available
- Public prices in euros on the store page
- Plugin store and user group
- Named UK company with address
Cons
- Windows only
- Major releases bought separately with perpetual licence
- No hosted tree or DNA
- UK entity is outside the EU
Alternatives to Family Historian
Further European genealogy software to compare:
See all European genealogy software or compare them directly against Ancestry (family tree editing) on our alternatives page.
Questions buyers ask
Family Historian 8 costs EUR 6.74 per month, EUR 32.80 per year or EUR 71.33 as a perpetual licence, according to the store page.
Family Historian 8 is Windows-only software. Mac users need Parallels, Boot Camp or CrossOver.
Family Historian is designed and written by Calico Pie Limited, a UK software house in London founded in 1995.